The use of botanicals and herbs for hot flashes and night sweats, as well as other symptoms related to menopause, has become increasingly popular. Due mostly to the studies completed by the Women?s Health Initiative relating to the health risks associated with long term use of hormone replacement therapy or HRT.

The Women?s Health Initiative (WHI) began in 1991 and many of the health issues related to older women are still being studied. The study concerning hormone replacement therapy ended in 2002, because of the large number of reported adverse events. The study concluded that HRT increased a woman?s risk of developing blot clots and stroke. Estrogen only therapy increases a woman?s risk of endometrial cancer, if she still has her uterus. Estrogen-progesterone combination therapies increase a woman?s risk of heart disease and breast cancer, as well as blood clots and stroke. Other side effects of HRT include leg pain and breast tenderness.

Before the WHI reported their findings, HRT was believed to reduce a woman?s risk of developing heart disease. Now, the only health benefit it is believed to provide is a reduction in osteoporosis, which can be accomplished with dietary supplementation of calcium, magnesium and Vitamin D, as well as cutting out caramel colored soft drinks. While some researchers consider ?low-dose? HRT safer, mostly because women experience less leg pain and breast tenderness, it does not reduce hot flashes and night sweats as effectively as herbs and other botanicals. And, there is no evidence supporting its use to prevent osteoporosis.

Research conducted in France in 2006 reported a 60-70% reduction in hot flashes and night sweats in women using low-dose HRT. Research has shown that certain plant components and herbs for hot flashes are more effective. Soy isoflavones have been shown to reduce hot flashes and night sweats by nearly 90%. Black cohosh, one of the most frequently recommended herbs for hot flashes, is even more effective. Although the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology renounced the use of herbs for hot flashes at one time, they have since changed their viewpoint slightly. Possibly, because numerous researchers had expressed the opinion that doctors should discuss these options with their patients.

Scientists in laboratory settings have demonstrated the safety of black cohosh, since its effectiveness brought up questions of safety. It does not increase growth of estrogen-sensitive breast cancer cell lines and does not thicken the endometrium, the lining of the uterus. Estrogen causes the endometrium to thicken, leading to endometrial cancer if progesterone is not used to cause the lining to be shed. There could be other health benefits associated with black cohosh, although modern research has not been conducted concerning them.

The WHI reported that 38% of the women studied suffered from high blood pressure. Black cohosh was used historically by Native Americans to treat high blood pressure. It is a natural diuretic. The drugs commonly used to control blood pressure are diuretics. Other historical uses included the treatment of rheumatism and as a mild sedative.

Other herbs for hot flashes and night sweats include red clover and sarsaparilla. These were both used historically by native healers for symptoms relating to hormonal imbalances. Red clover contains isoflavones similar to those found in soy and may be an option for women who are allergic to soy. Researchers are currently studying sarsaparilla for many health benefits including cancer prevention. Neither of these may be as effective as black cohosh when used alone (studies indicate that of all the herbs for hot flashes and night sweats, black cohosh is the most effective), but because of the numerous health benefits associated with their use and because they may relieve some of the other symptoms associated with menopause, they are sometimes added to black cohosh in dietary supplements specifically designed for menopausal women.

For more information about plants and herbs for hot flashes and night sweats, please visit the Menopause and PMS Guide.

Tags: Hot Flashes, Menopause and Sweating, Night Sweats

No one knows exactly what causes nightsweats in menopause. Many factors vary, including the average age of menopause, the age at which nightsweats begin and the age at which they end.

The menopausal transition is typically broken down into four categories. They are pre-menopause, peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause. During pre-menopause, a woman may experience some symptoms associated with fluctuating hormonal levels, but her menstrual periods are regular. During peri-menopause, which literally means the time ?around? menopause, a woman?s menstrual periods have become irregular, possibly heavier, possibly lighter and she may begin to have some symptoms that are typically associated with menopause.

During menopause, a woman begins to miss periods, sometimes for several months in a row. A woman can still become pregnant during this time. Once she has not had a menstrual period for a full year, she can no longer become pregnant and is considered to be post-menopausal.

The average age of menopause is 51. The average age of menopause in women who smoke is about two years younger or around 49. Peri-menopause may begin three or four years before actual menopause. Although experts are not sure about what causes nightsweats in menopause, they know that about 50% of all women experience them. About 10% experience them during pre-menopause and the percentage increases during peri-menopause. Without treatment, about 50% of all post-menopausal women experience hot flashes and night sweats for three or more years.

Researchers investigating what causes nightsweats in menopause have clues, but no clear answers. They know that women who must have their ovaries surgically removed due to illness or injury typically have severe hot flashes and night sweats. Men who must take hormone suppressing drugs have similar symptoms. These facts indicate that night sweats are either directly or indirectly related to decreased levels of circulating hormones. In other words, low levels of estrogen or other hormones typically produced by the ovaries may cause night sweats. This theory is further supported by the effectiveness of hormone replacement therapy in relieving these symptoms.

If a woman is among the 10% that begins to experience night sweats during pre-menopause, continues to have them during peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause, then she could suffer from them for seven or more years. Although they are not life-threatening, they can greatly affect the quality of a woman?s sleep and her overall quality of life. However, researchers know that the health risks associated with hormone replacement therapy greatly outweigh the benefits. It is also known that long-term use of hormone replacement therapy increases the health risks, which include blood clots and stroke. Thus, experts recommend that if a woman chooses to use HRT, she should use the lowest possible dosage for the shortest period of time.

Women who have nightsweats for many years need other solutions. Changes in lifestyle and diet often help relieve hot flashes during the day, but nightsweats do not respond as well to these types of therapies. However, it is always wise to lead a healthy lifestyle, get regular exercise and eat a healthy diet. Improving one?s lifestyle typically improves one?s overall since of well-being.

Researchers investigating what relieves, rather than what causes nightsweats in menopause have come up with some alternatives. Certain anti-depressants relive symptoms in some women, but increase sweating in others and they have not been approved by the FDA for this purpose. Acupuncture may be helpful, but positive results have been inconsistent.

Black cohosh and a number of other herbs used in traditional medicine have been scientifically evaluated. Some manufacturers of dietary supplements have created their own proprietary blend for relieving numerous menopausal symptoms. There are a number of vitamins and plant components that may be helpful.

We may never know exactly what causes nightsweats in menopause, but we can get relief. It may require a little trial and error to find the most effective product, but it is advisable to make the effort, before resorting to hormone replacement therapy. To learn more about natural products that relieve menopausal symptoms, please visit the Menopause and PMS Guide.

Tags: Hot Flashes, Menopause and Sweating, Night Sweats

Treatments for hot flashes and night sweat remedies are relatively easy to find. The question is whether or not they work. There may be natural ways to avoid hot flashes for some women. These depend mostly on a woman?s lifestyle and diet. What works for one woman may not work for every woman, but there are some products that are very popular and scientific research supports their use.

Most women approaching menopause experience hot flashes and night sweat, remedies that are effective are sometimes hard to identify, because the actual cause of hot flashes and night sweats is unknown. It is believed that sharp decreases in hormonal levels are at the root of the problem.

Hot flashes or flushes and night sweats are different names for the same type of physical symptoms. They are referred to as vasomotor symptoms, because blood vessels and circulation are involved. They may begin years before actual menopause and last for several years afterwards. The frequency and severity varies from one woman to the next.

Typically the heat begins in a woman?s chest, travels up the neck to the face and head. When they occur at night, they may interrupt a woman?s sleep, increasing levels of fatigue and sometimes leading to insomnia. From the experiences of other women, we know that caffeine, alcohol, tobacco products and spicy foods can trigger them, as can anger, frustration and irritation. Avoiding stimulants and alcohol may be effective natural ways to avoid hot flashes and night sweats.

Of all hot flashes and night sweat remedies, the most commonly recommended is black cohosh. More research has been done concerning the effectiveness and safety of black cohosh than on any of the other herbs that can help menopause hot flash symptoms. Some women using black cohosh report that it is 100% effective. Using herbs is one of the popular natural ways to avoid hot flashes, if you have tried black cohosh and it does not seem to work for you, there are other plant components that may be effective.

Scientists are still unsure why black cohosh provides such effective relief for hot flashes and night sweat remedies are often less effective. Evaluations of the chemical compounds of other plants have revealed an estrogen-like substance, aptly named phytoestrogens. Black cohosh does not appear to contain phytoestrogens. It seems to affect other chemicals in a woman?s body. Phytoestrogens are believed to relieve menopause hot flash symptoms by replacing some of the estrogen lost as the ovaries stop functioning, similar to the idea behind hormone replacement therapy.

Isoflavones are one type of phytoestrogen. If you read the ingredients on some hot flashes and night sweat remedies, you may see ?soy isoflavones? or ?isoflavones from red clover?. Adding soy to the diet is believed by some to be one of the natural ways to avoid hot flashes; however research has shown that dietary supplements containing isoflavones are more effective.

While no long term studies have been conducted concerning women who use phytoestrogens or isoflavones as hot flashes and night sweat remedies, short term clinical studies have revealed their effectiveness, lack of side effects and safety. Even the idea that phytoestrogens, which are found in soy beans, a health food, might not be safe for long term use seems silly. People eat soy all of the time and have for many, many years.

Red clover is grown for animal feed. Native Americans used the flower for tea and chewed the leaves raw. Healers used it to treat liver ailments, gall bladder ailments, ulcers, diabetes, tonsillitis, internal cancer, appendicitis, headaches and as one of the natural ways to avoid hot flashes.

Scientific research and the experiences of other women confirm that hot flashes and night sweat remedies containing red clover or other phytoestrogens and/or black cohosh are effective. Laboratory tests have revealed that black cohosh has no effect on even estrogen sensitive cancer cell lines. For more information about these and other natural ways to avoid hot flashes, please visit the Menopause and PMS Guide.

Tags: Hot Flashes, Menopause and Sweating, Night Sweats